Molecularly imprinted polymers by phase inversion technique for the selective recognition of saccharides of biomedical interest in aqueous solutions

The purpose of this work was the preparation and characterization of polymeric membranes for the selective recognition of saccharides using molecular imprinting technology associated with phase inversion. A system able to bind saccharides with high selectivity is particularly important in the pharmaceutical sector, since some of these compounds are constituents of molecules which can exert serious toxic effects even at very low concentrations. Two polymeric matrices were prepared using poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) copolymers, with an ethylene molar content of 32% and 44%, and were imprinted with two different saccharide molecules: maltose and 2-keto-3-deoxy-d-manno-octulosonate (KDO). Matrices imprinted against maltose and KDO showed an easy template extraction, high binding capability and satisfactory selectivity, particularly for the matrix with an ethylene molar content of 44%. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.